By Thilmany, Jean Imagine controlling your cursor by calling out to your computer or pointing your finger. You could manipulate objects on screen by voice and gesture rather than by a keyboard or a mouse. And it's the object of research now under way at the University of Buffalo.

By Stephen T. Watson The University at Buffalo's research effort into a new technology that would let a user manipulate objects on a computer screen through hand gestures has won a competitive grant from Hewlett- Packard Co.

Word of the Day

upstander

A person who stands up for something, as contrasted to a bystander who remains inactive.

One of the upright handlebars on a traditional Inuit sled.

The word 'upstander' in the first sense here is a play on the word 'bystander' and the idea of 'standing up' for something.